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"Help Us Build Our Dream Retirement Home"
The Barker Residence
Most of us dream of being in a situation
where we might be able to design and build a dream home to retire
in. "Let's see - I want it to have a Great Room with a real
Fireplace... and big, big windows that let in lots of light... I want a
wonderful, modern kitchen with a center island c ooking area... oh, and an area to do my
crafting." These are examples of the image that many of us
dream of. Dozens of families with dreams have turned to T. W.
Beck Architects, p.c., to help them design and build their
'on-of-a-kind' retirement home.
The Barker Family was planning on retiring
and moving to Colorado in 2005. They met with Thomas W. Beck,
AIA and began to lay out their plans and goals. George wanted
an office and a workshop. His wife wanted a grand kitchen and
a massive walk-in pantry. They both agreed that they wanted
multiple outside decks - to capture morning or afternoon or evening
peaceful hours spent reading or simply dozing. For family
visits - the Barkers decided on two master bedrooms and a third guest
bedroom.
One of the challenges often presented to
this architect is how to design and incorporate a new structure into a
mountain setting - often with demanding slopes or varying
terrain. This was certainly the case with the Barker
residence. This spectacular, three-level home sits literally
on the side of a mountain. The three-level western red cedar
siding and beam structure is a perfect complement to the property and
the adjacent area. Dozen of Pella windows and window-doors
allow the Barkers to experience the beauty and sunlight found in
northern Colorado.
The Barkers met with Thomas W. Beck, AIA and
they had 'one of those meeting' in which clients begin to use words to
share a dream for their future. That dream is now a home -
The Barker home is a reality. When you are ready to start
planning --- call on T. W. Beck Architects.
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Barker
Residence - Front View
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Spring Snow in the Rockies
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A Blend of Styles Brings Vision to Life – the Krumme
Residence
Just off
Highway 7, as it climbs out of Estes Park towards Lily Lake, is the spectacular
residence which was born out of Catherine Krumme’s vision for a Southwest
Territorial style home to occupy the 35-acre mountain tract owned by her
family. Beck Architects worked with
Catherine to bring her vision to life by blending styles to create a home that
architect, Thomas Beck, refers to as Mountain Territorial Style, which blends
beautifully with its Rocky Mountain setting.
With basic
elements of a southwest-style compound, this design incorporates the warmth and
openness of traditional mountain residences and, as specified by Catherine, “lots
of curves” to create a unique, exciting but very livable space. Taking cues from its surroundings the home
not only adopts the colors of the mountains but mimics their shape and is
“built of the hill, not on the hill,” as Frank Lloyd Wright would say. As do the hills, the structure gains
elevation as a tower rises through its two floors to a third-story art studio
-- reminiscent of a territorial lookout and topping out at thirty feet. The home is situated to capture the
270-degree views, from which it was inspired, through the window walls of the
great room.
The
exterior of the home is stucco, accented with a base of Robinson stone – a thin
veneer of genuine stone – and curved, metal, standing seam or flat membrane
roofs. Southwest-style transoms crown
the Sierra Pacific windows. A dramatic
entry invites visitors into a welcoming foyer that sets the mountain
territorial tone and opens to the three-story tower’s rotunda. A curved staircase on the outside wall of
the rotunda leads to the main level.
Water trickles down the inside rail of the staircase and a copper
“stepped” waterfall to a small pool at each floor level. As the focal entry element, the tower was
incorporated into the home to follow the existing contours of the hill, further
making the structure one with its environment.
The Krumme
residence features stained and stamped concrete floors on the 1586 square-foot
lower level which includes two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a rec room that
opens to a patio. The 756 square-foot,
2 ½ car garage is accessible from the lower level.
A curved,
bamboo wood staircase leads to the 2448 square-foot main level which includes a
great room, dining area, kitchen, powder room, master bedroom and bath, office
area and laundry room. Floors are of
bamboo and slate. Various interior
features, including an adobe fireplace in the master bedroom, reinforce the
southwestern influence. Gluelam arched
trusses with lower chord, steel tie rods span the great room ceiling. Sixteen feet of Sierra Pacific sliding doors
(four four-foot doors) open the dining room to a covered flagstone patio,
enclosed and gated with iron fencing.
Decks off the great room and kitchen are built of Choicedeck recycled
“lumber” and maintain the Mountain Territorial Style with log post and iron railing.
A second
curved staircase in the rotunda, with a waterfall railing, leads to the 314
square-foot, third-floor artist’s studio at the top of the tower, affording
breathtaking 360 degree views.
Throughout the home, in and out, the contours of the terrain are
reflected in curved walls, ceilings, staircases, wood trim -- even doors -- the
arched roof of the entryway and the tower itself.
A separate,
detached, three-car, Mountain Style carriage house anchors the setting; sitting
just below the grade of the lower floor of the main home it complements the
residence but blocks none of its views.
A studio apartment above the carriage house garage provides separate
housing for family members or guests.

The
Krummes brought their vision to T.W. Beck Architects as repeat customers,
having worked with Beck previously on a major expansion and rebuild of a
mountain home on an adjacent 35-acre tract.
Although an entirely different style, their vision and needs have yet
again been beautifully interpreted and brought to life in this truly unique and
magnificent home.
Built by
Westover Construction
Interior
Design by Mary Dubbling
Additional photos:

Mountain
Setting Shapes this Estes Park Custom
Home: The Schlitt
Residence
Lee and
Linda Schlitt live part-time in Estes Park, Colorado and part time in
California. But in
anticipation of
retirement from careers as a nuclear physicist and an accountant,
they’ve opted
for a Rocky Mountain home and lifestyle in Estes Park.
They chose two lots in Rockwood Estates
off
Fish Creek Road, a development of luxury mountain homes. The
five-acre tract provides open space for
wildlife, and privacy for the Schlitts in a serene mountain
setting.
The
Schlitts had given considerable effort to planning their mountain dream
home
and knew what they wanted, to the point of providing three-dimensional
sketches. They came
to T.W. Beck
Architects with a concept that involved the generous use of logs and
timbers
and that mimics the geometry of the mountains. Although
Estes Park architect Thomas Beck refers to the home’s style
as
“Mountain Craftsman” he says it’s
difficult to put a tag on this unique design.
At the
heart of the structure is a huge timber, topped by timber trusses which
open
like a log umbrella to support the vaulted, great room ceiling. The shape sets the tone
for the home --
curved walls and archways create a natural feel and flow throughout the
interior. The
fireplace, with a gently rounded chimney
face rises to the ceiling and adds ambiance and warmth to the great
room. In-floor
heat, a choice of green architects
like Beck, complements the home’s quiet, natural environment. Throughout
the home logs and timbers frame
doorways and create natural “corners” and easy
transition between rooms.
In
addition
to the dramatic great room, the main floor includes a comfortable
master suite
with a fireplace and access to a private patio.
The dining room is adjacent to the great
room and leads to a cozy
family room from which a large stamped, colored, concrete patio is
accessed. The
family room includes a
breakfast nook, which is built into a bowed window; it is open to the
kitchen
but separated by a raised bar with log trim.
A guest bedroom and bath, that is also
accessible from the living room,
complete the main level living area. A
large mud-and-laundry room plus a separate mechanical room are adjacent
to the 575
square foot, three-car garage and 472 square foot workshop.
A curved
stairway, trimmed with tiles and leading to the second floor, is
anchored by
the same giant timber that supports the great room trusses. The upper level includes
another bedroom and
bath plus a solarium and study. An
oak spiral
staircase leads to a third level, tower loft with vaulted ceiling and
log
trusses which perpetuate the timber frame design.
With 360 degrees of windows and topping
out at thirty feet above
ground level the tower is perfect for relaxing and enjoying the views
even if
weather sets in. The
total finished
interior area of the main and upper levels plus loft totals 3316 square
feet.
Although
the couple considered full log walls they opted for a sheetrock
interior which
complements the natural light that enters through a multitude of
Prairie-style,
Sierra Pacific windows and framed glass, custom-shaped to complement
the curves,
shapes and flow of the rooms. And
the
abundant day lighting can help to reduce energy costs.
With peeled logs, tongue-and-groove
cedar
siding and moss rock the exterior of the home creates a sustainable
design that
effortlessly merges with its surroundings.
Multiple circular, peaked roofs of
varied heights create a silhouette
that emulates surrounding mountain ranges.
Drawing
on
decades of experience T.W. Beck Architects successfully interpreted the
vision
of Lee and Linda Schlitt to create a truly unique Rocky Mountain home
that fits
perfectly into its mountain setting.
The Schlitt’s home was built
by Westover Construction of Estes Park.

Mountain Architecture at Home with Nature: The
Schultz Residence

Currently
living just outside Los Angeles, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Schultz,
owners of a printing service and supply company, sought out T.W. Beck
Architects to design their vacation/retirement home in Estes Park,
Colorado’s Grey
Fox Estates. Inspired
by the rock
outcroppings and treed setting of the 2 ½ acre lot in a
development of luxury
mountain homes, Thomas Beck created a “log” timber
frame design that provides
an effortless flow between indoors and out. The
concept involves the generous use of wood and logs, as
requested by the Schultz’s, and evolved to incorporate even
tree-like elements
into this Rocky Mountain home.
The
5089
square foot structure, built by Westover Construction includes a main
and upper
level. The large,
covered, front porch
features giant post and beam supports and trusses along with a copper
roof. The main
level includes the great room,
dining area, kitchen, powder room and a magnificent master suite. A walk-through laundry
room leads to the
1162 square foot garage that can accommodate four cars, parked two deep.
A
special
feature of the house, requested by the owners, is the use of old,
weathered barn
wood siding on the vaulted ceilings of the great room and exterior. Spruce logs, some with
bark still intact, serve
as ceiling beams and trusses. The
living area features a moss-rock fireplace with a massive half-log
mantle. Huge
supporting timbers, with bark, create
the impression that the ceiling of the two-story great room space must
surely
be a canopy of treetops. Natural
sandstone floors lead through French doors onto the patio, which blends
into a
large rock outcropping that provides privacy for the patio. These natural elements
incorporate a
sustainable design that complements the mountain architecture.
An open, log
staircase leads to the upper level and an open loft that serves as an
office. Surrounded
by barked timbers
and overlooking the great room, dining area and kitchen the loft is
reminiscent
of a tree house. From
the loft office
the spacious kitchen is as impressive as from the main level. Two steps up from the
living area, it
features a large, central work island, pantry, bountiful cupboards and
a
built-in hutch. Beyond
the loft the
upper level includes two bedrooms and a bath plus a huge
“bunkroom” to house
visiting grandchildren or other guests.
The bunkroom has its own bath and can be
accessed from downstairs by a
separate staircase. Consistent
with the
tree and log construction the bunkroom has a steal beam, running its
length,
concealed in two half logs. Two
double
French doors open onto a wooden deck.
Heat
is
provided with a forced air, natural gas furnace located in the crawl
space. Interior
doors and window trim are of alder wood.
Large Sierra Pacific wood windows with
aluminum-clad exteriors, draw in
the mountain views to make them part of the décor. The home’s
essence is one of casual luxury that is comfortable
and livable. The
log and rock exterior
which also includes weathered barn wood, plus a wood shingle roof,
integrate
the structure with its surroundings. The
home’s natural style which Estes Park architect Thomas Beck
refers to as “a log version of Mountain Craftsman,”
fits effortlessly into its serene,
Rocky Mountain setting to afford the Shultz’s the lifestyle
they were seeking
in their mountain dream home.




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"Can You Design a Cabin For Us Up in Rocky Mountain
National Park?"
The
Six Cabin Project
When
attorney Steve Six first called
Thomas W. Beck, the scope of his project and dream took quite a while
to explain. Mr. Six had bought an old 'rustic' cabin high up
in Rocky Mountain National Park
(RMNP). Private land ownership on this site was
'grand-fathered' into the original perimeter for RMNP. All
surrounding land belongs to the Federal Government and access to the
Six Cabin is over government roads. Further - the cabin sits
above 8,000 ft. elevation. Mr. Six wanted architectural
services to virtually tear down the old cabin, re-engineer the water
supply and septic facilities and build a new 'generations' cabin home
that would have to be approved by the Park Service. A
'generations home' is one that is designed to remain in service to the
family for the next several generations.
To
say that the Park Service (NPS) fought this project at every turn
may be an exaggeration. But NPS seemed to find a lot of
things to question, refuse or delay about. Ultimately, the T.
W. Beck Architect designs and plans were approved. Access was
granted to the various delivery and construction vendors. And
now the Six Cabin is truly a 'dream come true.'
The
result is a wonderful, elegant but
site-compatible cabin with a 'million dollar view' overlooking the
Moraine Park area inside Rocky Mountain National Park.
The
main
level design features an open
living room, dining room and kitchen area. This is
highlighted by 'floor-to-ceiling' windows that face south overlooking
the Moraine valley. A large redwood deck allows for peace and
quiet and time to restore the soul during almost all seasons.
A north-facing, peaceful 15.5 X 12.5 master bedroom completes the main
level. The
lower level provides two additional bedrooms, a study, a TV room and a
large laundry room.
You
may
never have the chance to build (or
rebuild) a 'generations' home above 8,000 foot elevation inside a
National Park - but if you want help to design a build your dream,
something that nourishes your needs for quiet and beauty - why not
consider the award-winning architecture and services provided by T. W.
Beck Architects, pc.?
"Views and a Vision Come Together in an
Extraordinary Mountain Home: The Cofas Residence"
Charles and Olga Cofas had traveled the world during Charles' career as a mechanical engineer. When
retirement was on the horizon they already knew that Estes Park,
Colorado, would be their destination when they left Houston, Texas. They
selected Ray Duggan as builder for the dream home they had been
designing and through Ray, were introduced to architect Thomas Beck. They
came to T.W. Beck Architects with a vision which had evolved into a
carefully thought-out floor plan, already drawn to scale. But
they were seeking assistance with the finishing details of that plan
and architectural expertise in fitting the home into its mountain
setting -- a steep, 1.4-acre lot at an elevation of 8200 feet in
Windcliff Estates. The steep terrain would be an interesting challenge but the payoff was the magnificent view of the Continental Divide. There
was no question -- the view was paramount and the point around which
the completion of design and construction would pivot.
That panorama is framed by a wall of triple-pane Pella windows, with interior blinds, that spans the expansive great room
-- which includes a dining area that seats twelve. The
kitchen is situated just behind the dining area, so that its occupants
are treated to the same great scenery. But with marble countertops and dark-stained, Rockglen cabinets by Wood Harbor, it is beautiful in its own right. Stainless steel appliances, a bar and large walk-in pantry complete the culinary paradise that would delight any chef.

The great room's glass wall includes Pella sliding doors which provide access to more than 600 square feet of deck. To
maximize the view, the windows continue to the peak of the great room's
cathedral ceiling, which is supported with a system of Gluelam beams,
stained to match the woodwork and kitchen cabinets. A
porcelain tile floor, which mimics slate, is toasty warm with
efficient, in-floor heat -- one of eight individually controlled,
climate zones within the home. Completing the great room is a
marble-topped wet bar and a double-sided, full masonry fireplace. Spacious
and elegant yet with an ambiance that is warm, welcoming and genuine,
the living area is perfect for any type of entertaining -- from a large
casual party to an intimate, sophisticated dinner with special friends,
to a cozy evening shared with family.
The fireplace opens, opposite the great room, to the master suite -- which shares the same views as those from the great
room. The
master includes a huge walk-in closet and spacious bath with a
dual-sink, marble vanity and large shower with beautifully patterned
tile.
The
window wall concept is repeated in the master bath and a luxurious tub
is placed next to the windows for views to rejuvenate the spirit while
a bubble bath relaxes the body.

Designed for main floor living, the upper level also includes a large dual-purpose room which serves as an office and
guest room, as well as a large three-quarter bath. A
laundry room just off the kitchen leads to a heated, 858 square-foot,
three-car garage which also houses a shop area.
The lower level includes three bedrooms, one full and one three-quarter bath, plus a large multi-purpose room that is
used as an exercise, game and sewing room.
Just off this room is a storage area that measures approximately 12 x 18
feet. The lower level is designed
so that all four rooms front on the "view" side of the home. The
three lower-level bedrooms each have separate outside access to patios
-- for even more enjoyment of this mountain retreat.
Not only beautiful, but practical as well, the Cofas' home is surprisingly low-maintenance. The
exterior of the home is colored stucco so that painting is not
necessary, as is the case with the pre-finished, seamless gutters. The roof is topped with concrete shingles that, until close inspection, look like wood shingles. And garage doors, which also look
like wood, are vinyl. The
decking material is Trex -- a wood and plastic fiber composite product
which is not only durable but environmentally friendly in that the
plastic and wood fibers are sourced from reclaimed or recycled wood
materials including sawdust from woodworking operations and recycled
plastic.
The destination certainly justifies the drive up a couple of miles of winding mountain road. The
Cofas' extraordinary home will always provide a front-row, all-season
venue for center-stage enjoyment of the drama of the ever-changing high
country and its weather.
Charles and Olga Cofas' vision was realized and they moved into their extraordinary home in November 2006. They say they enjoy it so much that they literally don't leave often. They
remarked that it is solid, with no flexing even in high winds. They
share that the year-long process of making their dream a reality went
smoothly, that Thomas was available whenever he was needed, and that
"the experience was painless -- we're happy clients."
"Transformation: The Seckman Residence"
Larry
and Cindy Seckman inherited a home in Estes Park's Grand Estates
development -- an area in which almost every home is treated to truly
grand views. The Seckmans decided they'd use the home as a vacation
getaway until retirement, when they'll move from the San Diego,
California area to Estes Park. Built in 1976 the home was on a
generously sized lot of approximately 1.4 acres and was a roomy 2600
square feet, but it was truly dated -- with avocado green paneling and
green shag carpet. Two bedrooms, a small bath, kitchen and living room
were on the main floor while a finished workroom, small bath, and
laundry area shared the lower level with a two-car garage.

Larry
and Cindy came to T.W. Beck Architects with visions of a master suite,
updated kitchen and an exterior for their home that would complement
its beautiful mountain setting. In order to capitalize on the views,
Thomas Beck suggested adding an upper floor, rather than expanding
outward.
Off
came the roof and an 897 square foot, magnificent, private master suite
was born. Tucked up into the vaulted ceiling of the new great room
below and overlooking the main level living area, an elevated walkway
runs the length of the addition which spans the house end to end. A
large master bedroom occupies one end of the new space while on the
other is an office/study/den including built-in shelves, computer work
station and a sitting area with a gas fireplace as its focal point. The
study is open to the living area below while the master bedroom has a
half-wall with glass above which also provides an overlook to the great
room. Between these rooms, and accessible from either, is a beautiful
master bath and huge walk-in closet. Two-story dormers were added to
the exterior at the level of the new addition to bring the views in to
both the master bedroom and the study.
The
main level was reconfigured as the kitchen moved where one bedroom had
been, freeing up space for a dining room. The added dormers provide
natural sectioning to create separate, cozy living room and family room
areas while maintaining the spacious openness of a true great room.
Converting the old wood-burning fireplace to gas allowed the beautiful,
existing rock chimney to remain, despite the added height of the house.
The main level guest bedroom now has a private bath and an additional
powder room was added just off the dining area. On the lower, garage
level the bathroom and laundry room were enlarged substantially and
updated.
New
Pella windows were selected for the addition and replaced all existing
windows as well. The old, gray siding exterior was replaced with new,
stained cedar and the home has a new composite roof. The deck, made of
recycled plastic and wood 'Rhinodeck' planks, now wraps around three
sides of the home for the utmost enjoyment of the views and the
outdoors.

The
contractor for this 'extreme makeover' was Ray Duggan. Truly
transformed, this home that was dated and outdated is now a
contemporary, mountain beauty which the Seckmans look forward to
enjoying for many years
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